


Persistence

by lionofwrath



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Happy Ending, Kylo is a creepy space-invader, M/M, Non-Consensual Touching, Past Rape/Non-con, Romantic Fluff, not as dark or as funny as it sounds, terrible flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-08
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-07-13 01:13:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7132097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionofwrath/pseuds/lionofwrath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for a kink meme prompt.</p>
<p>Kylo only wants a date, Hux just wants to be left alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Persistence

**Author's Note:**

> Full prompt:
> 
> Hux's first - and so far only - sexual experience was very much non-consensual. Kylo Ren's flirting is heavy-handed, aggressive, has possessive/dark overtones, and is tripping pretty much every alarm and issue that Hux has.

Hux eyes Kylo’s offering the way one might a particularly dangerous animal. ‘What are you doing, Ren?’ The demand is dripping with scorn, Hux’s face twisting into a sneer.

‘Giving you flowers.’ Kylo hisses back, shaking the bouquet in his hand in Hux’s direction.

Hux narrows his eyes, glaring alternately at Kylo and his gift. ‘You’ve brought potentially hazardous materials on-board my ship-’

‘Our ship. And they’re just flowers.’ Kylo mutters.

Hux ignores his interruption. ‘Safety protocols exist for a reason, Ren, though I’m not surprised you disregard those as easily as you do others.’

Kylo can feel his face heating under his mask, is glad Hux can’t see it. The general has a particular talent for making him feel foolish and his anger rises at this latest rejection. He throws the bouquet forcibly to the deck, watching his carefully chosen flowers scatter into crushed pieces. ‘They’re for you. Do what you want with them.’ Kylo stalks off, casting challenging stares at the gathered crowd of crewmembers to make them cringe away, their reactions soothing some of his wounded pride. Confronting Hux in public had probably been a bad move, but he’d had such hopes for the flowers working that he hadn’t thought it through.

 

When Kylo returns to his quarters he places his mask carefully on a table then flops onto his couch, datapad in hand. He frowns at the book open on the screen. Despite its promising name, The Complete Guide to Wooing the Being of Your Affections (Human Edition) is proving to be rather less than helpful in said activity. The author had seemed very confidant in assertions that humans liked flowers, especially ones with pleasing scents. Kylo sighs and marks off the section as tried and failed, he’s starting to have several such notations next to different parts of the book.

He flips idly through the pages, stopping as a paragraph catches his eye. ‘Most humans are very open to flattery and compliments on their appearance are an excellent way to start a conversation.’ It seems like a fairly basic method of flirting and Kylo wonders why this piece of advice wasn’t mentioned earlier. After pondering for a moment what kind of compliment he could give Hux, Kylo decides to go for the most obvious target: Hux’s uncommon hair colour. He’s always wanted to touch it, as though the colour would somehow make it feel different than anyone else’s hair, and this is the perfect excuse to get his hands on Hux.

 

Kylo waits until a late shift when Hux is on duty and the bridge staff is minimal. He finds Hux working on something in a semi-isolated corner and comes up behind him, pausing for a moment to gather his thoughts.

‘Ren.’ Sensing his presence, Hux turns to scowl at him, straightening his posture to equalise their heights as much as possible.

The cold derision in those green eyes throws him off and left unsure how to continue Kylo simply launches right into his latest line. ‘You have pretty hair.’ He reaches out as he speaks, daring to tangle his gloved fingers into the red strands and tug lightly.

There’s an inhuman snarling noise and then Kylo’s hand is being twisted so hard he shrieks in pain, falling to his knees from the pressure. ‘Get your fucking hands off me.’ Hux’s voice is low and harsh as he finally lets Kylo go and backs away.

Kylo cradles his injured wrist to his chest, watching Hux warily for another attack, but the general seems more shaken than hostile now. His breathing is unsteady, face pale with fury as his fists clench and relax convulsively, eyes wide with something that almost seems like panic. Hux flees before Kylo can say or do anything else and he’s left staring at the worried, unsure faces of the bridge crew. ‘Get back to work.’ He hisses venomously at them as he struggles to his feet.

 

His wrist isn’t that badly damaged and he’s able to tend to it himself in his own quarters, still puzzling over Hux’s extreme reaction. Kylo pulls up the book on his datapad again, tapping his fingers against it in thought before making another of his notations beside the section about compliments. He can’t figure out how that particular overture had gone so badly but he’s undeterred in his mission and optimistic that the next will go better, he’s sure that Hux will give in eventually if he only tries hard enough. The trick is in finding the correct thing that appeals to Hux and makes him receptive to Kylo’s proposal of going on a date.

 

The next time Kylo makes sure they’re alone, surreptitiously following Hux down a hallway until it’s deserted.

Something tips Hux off though and he rounds on Kylo first, glaring. ‘Do you need something, Ren?’

‘I want to fuck you.’ Kylo blurts out, cursing at his clumsiness, he had been going to try to be a little less blunt, and maybe take his helmet off but his anxiety got the better of him.

Hux looks utterly horrified for a moment and then his face changes to a blank expressionless mask. ‘No.’ His voice is as vacant as his eyes.

Nervousness is replaced by anger at Hux’s lack of response to his earnest confession. ‘Why are you always so cold?’ Kylo snaps back at him. ‘Is it too much to ask that you show me a little courtesy, we’re supposed to be co-commanders.’

The words seem to break Hux’s trance and he’s suddenly as angry as Kylo, green eyes filling with such pure rage that Kylo unconsciously steps backwards. ‘A little courtesy involves letting you fuck me? And you wonder why we don’t work well together. You’re disgusting, Ren.’ Hux spits his name out as if it makes him sick.

Biting his tongue until he can taste blood is the only way Kylo refrains from saying something he knows he’ll regret later and he leaves without another word.

 

He sulks in his rooms for awhile, hurt by Hux’s barbed comments. Maybe he shouldn’t have just started in with a request for sex but Hux didn’t have to be so cruel about rejecting him. Kylo flips despondently through the dating book again, no other ideas sound any better than what he’s tried and he sighs in frustration, throwing the datapad into a wall to relieve some of his anger.

 

Hux has a easy, affable rapport with the delegate from the planet they’re orbiting. It’s so insignificant that Kylo can’t even recall the name of the world and yet Hux is talking with the woman like she’s an old and treasured friend. Kylo feels a surge of jealousy as he watches them, he’s never seen Hux act like this before and the fact that it’s directed at someone else makes him angry as well. His hand closes on his lightsaber and he only resists the urge to destroy something with great effort, partly because he’s loath to leave the two of them alone with each other.

When the woman finally departs he doesn’t even wait for the hangar to clear out before he confronts Hux. ‘So it’s alright if other people flirt with you, just not me?’ He uses every extra inch of his height to loom over the general.

‘Who I choose to talk to is none of your business, Ren.’ Hux tries ineffectually to match Kylo’s threatening stance. ‘You don’t own me.’ His voice shakes slightly on the denial, which Kylo takes as a sign that he’s going to start yelling again.

Kylo pulls off his helmet and drops it to the deck nonchalantly, then slams a hand against the wall next to Hux’s head as he leans in to kiss him. Blood coats his tongue when Hux bites him but Kylo had half-expected that and it doesn’t discourage him, it’s occurred to him that the reason Hux is so vicious is because he likes it rough. He traps Hux against the wall when he starts to struggle but he doesn’t really want to push too far and he backs off after Hux bites him again. Kylo smirks as he wipes the blood off his lips, the accompanying sarcastic remark never making it out of his mouth.

‘Fuck you.’ Hux growls, blanching as he realises what he’s said, pressing his back into the wall and glancing quickly around as if searching for an escape route. Kylo almost laughs but there’s something about the way Hux is acting that makes him uneasy. There’s a tension in his body that isn’t the anticipated arousal, his posture somehow defensive and he won’t meet Kylo’s eyes. Disquieted, Kylo doesn’t say anything else, merely retrieves his helmet and walks off.

 

Despite Hux’s strange reactions to his attempts at flirting, Kylo is determined to try again. He waits for Hux in a strategic location next to a control room that he purposely cleared of personnel.

When Hux shows up Kylo practically shoves him into the room, locking the door before lunging towards him. He grabs Hux’s wrist, manoeuvring him against the wall to pin him in place with his body, intent on restraining him even as Hux struggles in Kylo’s grip, twisting to try to free himself or land a blow. He’s more than prepared though and blocks Hux’s attempts with a growing contempt as the general’s efforts become more desperate and less effective.

Hux’s head suddenly jerks up and when Kylo looks into his eyes he falls - he’s being forced down onto a bed, ‘Pretty whore.’ whispered in his ear before a hand wrenches his head back, teeth sinking into his exposed neck. Hux tries to fight back but the man is so strong and he bites back a scream as his arm is twisted behind his back, something breaking with a sickening noise. Don’t scream, don’t cry. He repeats the litany to himself, turning his face into the sheets to smother his whimpers as the man holds him down, ‘Don’t worry, you’re going to enjoy this.’, and then there’s nothing but pain - Kylo screams in fear and anger, grabbing for Hux and heaving them both out of the terrible memory.

Frightened green eyes stare into his own, an awful, broken terror that threatens to pull Kylo back into the past even as he struggles to process the images he’s seen. ‘No.’ He isn’t sure which of them says it. Kylo wants to scream again, to kill, to hold Hux and swear to him that no one will ever hurt him again but he’s frozen in place.

Hux is tense under him, his face twisted into a snarl of rage and Kylo unthinkingly pushes him back into the wall when he tries to get away. The defiance drains out of the general, his shoulders slumping and his expression changing to defeated resignation. ‘Are you going to fuck me?’ Hux asks quietly, his voice small and trembling.

It’s not how Hux should sound and Kylo’s hands clench as he fights to control his anger. ‘No.’ The denial is useless, he can tell Hux doesn’t believe him even before the general’s eyes flicker over to the side. Kylo follows the glance, sees his own hand gripping Hux’s wrist and he’s suddenly acutely aware of how tight his grasp is, he can feel the grate of bones under skin, the frantic pulse of Hux’s heartbeat. It’s the same wrist that was broken during Hux’s assault and Kylo releases him as his anger swells again, mixed with horror. ‘No. No.’ He turns and draws his lightsaber in one smooth movement to release his rage and hate the only way he can, in destruction.

The repetitive motion of his blade rising and falling is soothing, the screech of metal tearing calming his nerves. When the room is in shambles Kylo looks back at Hux to find that he hasn’t budged. He’s still huddled against the wall where Kylo left him, arms crossed defensively, his eyes wary in the fear of a trapped animal as he tracks the knight’s movements. The general is gone, replaced by a terrified redhead who looks too young and vulnerable to be wearing a First Order uniform, as if he’s a child playing dress-up in his father’s clothes.

The jarring image helps curb the jagged edges of Kylo’s anger, he can’t stand to see Hux so afraid and know that he’s to blame for some of that fear. He crosses back over to stand in front of Hux, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible but his voice is harsh despite his efforts. ‘Where is he?’

Hux cringes away and for a moment Kylo thinks he hasn’t even heard the question, that he’s withdrawn completely. ‘Dead. He’s dead.’

Kylo growls in frustrated satisfaction. ‘If he wasn’t I would kill him. Tear him apart and make him beg for mercy at your feet.’

That makes Hux glance up quickly, eyes widening in surprise not fear, but he drops his gaze just as fast. With no convenient living target for his violence, Kylo closes his eyes in an attempt to steady himself but all he can see is the terrible visions of Hux’s past.

When he opens them again Hux has uncurled slightly, staring at him in a plaintive curiosity. ‘You’re upset.’ Hux directs the observation to the floor before looking back up at Kylo again. ‘Why are you so upset?’

Kylo stares at him in stunned silence before finally finding his voice. ‘Because he hurt you. I care about you, I-’ Trust him to pick the worst possible time for a confession but he’s come this far and he’s not going to retreat now. ‘I love you, Hux.’

Unsurprisingly, the words bring a familiar sneer back to Hux’s face. ‘You don’t love me. You only want what he wanted. This.’ Hux makes a disdainful gesture at his own body.

‘That’s not true-’ Kylo protests.

‘Then why didn’t you stop?’ Hux whispers, hugging himself and flinching away as if expecting to be hit. ‘I told you no and you just kept harassing me.’

‘I thought you were playing hard to get.’ Kylo winces at his own pathetic excuse, feeling sick as Hux shudders. ‘He said that to you.’

‘Something like that.’ Hux mutters without elaborating.

He can practically see the parallels that Hux has drawn between the man who raped him and Kylo. ‘Hux, I would never hurt you. I won’t force you into anything you don’t want. If you ask me to stop, I will. I promise.’

There’s something calculating in the way Hux is studying him now, the same look he gets when he’s analysing a battle. ‘Then stop, Ren. I’m saying no.’

Kylo bites back the flare of disappointment, this isn’t about him and he can keep his desires private if it means Hux will feel safe around him again. ‘I understand.’ He moves to the back of the room, giving Hux space to leave.

 

The next few months are only made bearable by the fact that Hux actually warms up to him slightly. He doesn’t automatically argue with Kylo every time he makes a suggestion and the first time he agrees with Kylo is such a shock that the knight has trouble believing the event actually happened. At some point Kylo realises that they might almost be friends, or at least not bitter enemies anymore. It’s not what he truly wants but it’s enough.

 

The negotiations should have been simple and quick had the Resistance not shown up unexpectedly. Kylo’s first priority is to get Hux out of harm’s way and he drags him bodily through the forest back to their shuttle. They make it back with minimal fighting only to discover that they’ve been pursued by several Resistance members. Shoving Hux behind him to protect the general, Kylo deflects the blaster bolts aimed at them before launching himself at their attackers with single-minded purpose.

Hux’s shouted warning comes too late as one of his opponents flanks him and pain sears across his nerves. Kylo falls to his knees in a curiously slow movement, Hux’s voice distorted as he screams something else in rage. Then a hand grabs Kylo and he’s being dragged across the ground, the red glow of his own lightsaber somewhere overhead, reflecting in ferocious green eyes and bared teeth. The hallucination of Hux is beautiful and wild, and Kylo grins as he slips into blackness.

 

‘Don’t you fucking die on me, you bastard.’

Kylo opens his eyes to blink at the institutional ceiling of a medbay. His body is a vague sensation of almost pain behind the drugs and he can feel something squeezing his hand tightly.

Hux is sitting next to him, raking a trembling hand through messy hair, his uniform bloody and half-stripped off. He doesn’t seem to notice that Kylo is awake but he’s talking to him anyway, mumbling pleas for him to live while glaring down at their joined hands as if it’s Kylo’s fault he can’t let go. ‘If you die, I’ll kill you…’ Hux trails off as he realises that Kylo is alert.

‘Hux.’ He barely croaks the name out before Hux is kissing him hard, the general tastes like ashes and sweat, and when he pulls back there’s blood on his lips. Kylo expects him to grimace and wipe it off but instead he licks at it absently, the action even more arousing for how unaware of it he seems to be.

His semi-delirious state makes the whole episode seem wonderful and Kylo grins widely in pleased triumph. Hux laughs too, sounding more than a little hysterical himself and smiles back, it’s faint but it’s the first time Kylo has ever seen him genuinely smile. The expression lights up his face, as if his mouth is made for smiling and Kylo reaches up to trace his lips in distracted glee. ‘You should smile more often.’

Hux just shakes his head in exasperation but the smile stays as Kylo’s hand drops away. ‘Are you still in love with me?’

‘Always, forever.’ Maybe he shouldn’t have said it so bluntly but in his drug-induced haze it seems right.

Hux flushes at the admission and as Kylo starts to wonder what’s happening, Hux blurts his next words out. ‘Do you want to come to my quarters for drinks? Just drinks.’ He clarifies hastily.

‘You’re asking me on a date?’ Kylo asks, thrilled.

‘I’m not sure if I’d call it that.’ Hux protests, eyes narrowing.

‘Yes, Hux. I’d like to have a date with you.’ He pulls the general back down for another slow, lingering kiss.


End file.
